What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Had trouble lifting off but finally lifted to hover. Moved backwards. Tail boom hit ground. Helicopter rolled over. (From .4) the helicopter was for sale, but was not airworthy, and had not been flown for 6 months. The owner had shown the helicopter to the pilot a week prior to the accident. The owner and the pilot performed a ground run, but the owner would not allow the helicopter to be flown. A week later the pilot flew the helicopter without the owner's permission, and without the owner present. Witnesses reported that the helicopter did not appear to be stable at any time in the repeated attempts at takeoff. On the third attempted lift off, the helicopter became airborne, moved forward, and climbed to an altitude of approximately 5 to 10 feet above the ground. It then moved aft and the tailboom impacted the ground. The helicopter then rolled right, and the main rotor blades struck the ground. During a period of 18 months, repeated attempts to have the pilot provide a statement, or complete and return the required national transportation safety board pilot/operator aircraft accident report form 6120.1/2, were unsuccessful.
As the FAA filed it
HAD TROUBLE LIFTING OFF BUT FINALLY LIFTED TO HOVER. MOVED BACKWARDS. TAIL BOOM HIT GROUND. HELICOPTER ROLLED OVER. (FROM .4) THE HELICOPTER WAS FOR SALE, BUT WAS NOT AIRWORTHY, AND HAD NOT BEEN FLOWN FOR 6 MONTHS. THE OWNER HAD SHOWN THE HELICOPTER TO THE PILOT A WEEK PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE OWNER AND THE PILOT PERFORMED A GROUND RUN, BUT THE OWNER WOULD NOT ALLOW THE HELICOPTER TO BE FLOWN. A WEEK LATER THE PILOT FLEW THE HELICOPTER WITHOUT THE OWNER'S PERMISSION, AND WITHOUT THE OWNER PRESENT. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE HELICOPTER DID NOT APPEAR TO BE STABLE AT ANY TIME IN THE REPEATED ATTEMPTS AT TAKEOFF. ON THE THIRD ATTEMPTED LIFT OFF, THE HELICOPTER BECAME AIRBORNE, MOVED FORWARD, AND CLIMBED TO AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 5 TO 10 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. IT THEN MOVED AFT AND THE TAILBOOM IMPACTED THE GROUND. THE HELICOPTER THEN ROLLED RIGHT, AND THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES STRUCK THE GROUND. DURING A PERIOD OF 18 MONTHS, REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO HAVE THE PILOT PROVIDE A STATEMENT, OR COMPLETE AND RETURN THE REQUIRED NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD PILOT/OPERATOR AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT REPORT FORM 6120.1/2, WERE UNSUCCESSFUL.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.